AKRON, Ohio --Browns offensive coordinator Norv Turner quelled a little of the Brian Hoyer-mania on Monday night and sounded as if he's counting on Brandon Weeden to be his guy in 2013.

"Brandon is a one-year player in the NFL who did a lot more good things than people give him credit for," Turner said before his speech to the Akron Browns Backers banquet at Tangier Events Center. "I like his composure, the way he competes, he's worked awfully hard. He's got to be one of the hardest-working guys on our team. So you look and say, 'Hey, you hope there's a big upside.' "

Turner stressed that Weeden's woes and 5-10 record as a starter last season can be attributed to being a rookie surrounded by rookies.

"What happened to Brandon, Brandon was in here with a very young group of guys," Turner said in his first remarks about Weeden since seeing him practice against the defense in organized team activities. "So when you have a lot of young guys and they're trying to feel their way together, it's hard. All those guys having a year together, including Brandon, will help him a great deal."

Turner also threw a little water on the notion that Hoyer, a native of North Olmsted and St. Ignatius grad, is being brought in to potentially challenge for a starting role. Hoyer, 27, signed his two-year deal on Friday and will be on the field Tuesday for the second week of organized team activities.

"I think there have been more stories written about Brian Hoyer being a Brown over the last four months than probably any player in history," Turner said. "He was released. He was available. He's a guy that has been with some good teams in backup situations. He's played very little football, but I do think we like his skill set."

Turner stressed it's difficult to assess the quarterbacks after only three days of OTAs, but he likes the group.

"I think we have three talented guys," said Turner, who was asked specifically about Weeden, Campbell and Hoyer. "We have a vastly different group of guys. Jason's played nine years in the league. He's proven he can win in this league. When he's been with good teams, he's played better than when he's been with bad teams. And then with Brian, you've got a guy that's been a backup in some good situations. He really hasn't played enough to know where he's at, and we like the way he throws the ball. We like a lot of things about him."

Turner acknowledged that it will be tough to find enough quality reps for the quarterbacks, especially those with the first-team offense.

"That's probably the hardest thing," he said. "If you have a veteran quarterback who's played a lot you can kind of take care of him and limit a little bit his reps. But the real good veterans I've been around want all the reps anyway. But that's to be a real hard one. That's one of the reasons having a guy like Jason Campbell – he's played so much you hope maybe once we get going with everything we're doing he doesn't need as many reps as maybe a young guy does. But my experience with young quarterbacks, a guy that's in his second year you need all the reps you can give him."

One thing is certain: Turner will vote for keeping three QBs on the 53-man roster.

"I think if you don't, you're playing with fire," he said. "I think it's too valuable a position."

Turner stressed he's only seen Weeden practice three times, "but the things I've seen is what we saw on film. He's got a big arm. He's very intelligent. He makes good decisions. He throws the ball up the field the way we would like to, but he's very accurate underneath. He's like all our guys. He's learning a new system. We have a lot of work to do."

He also believes it's been overstated that Weeden will fare better in the new vertical scheme.

"Good players play," he said. "They play in any system, and they play when they're comfortable...he's responded to everything we've asked him to do. He likes football an awful lot, he's a very competitive guy and he's made it clear he wants to be the guy and now you go out and do it."

TURNER ON RICHARDSON: Turner is excited to have Trent Richardson in the backfield: "If you want to be a good offense, you better have good players, and Trent is outstanding and he's a young player that got a taste of it last year. He had to fight through the ups and downs of being a rookie, the injuries, those things. Hopefully we don't have to deal with that and that he can make that big step from year one to year two."

TURNER ON GORDON: Turner also has high hopes for Gordon, among others: "When we came in from San Diego on that miserable cold, rainy day I stood about as I am from you to Josh Gordon and I said, 'Wow – now I know why they took him.' He's an impressive guy. He's young. He has a lot of work to do but he has a lot of ability. You put those two things together and just grind as a player and as a coach, I think he can really be a fine player."

JACKSON ON MCMILLAN: Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, who was honored at the banquet as the team's Good Guy, expressed sorrow over the death of former teammate David McMillan, who was shot and killed in DeCatur , Ga. on Saturday in an apparent robbery attempt as he was exiting his truck, according to reports. McMillan was a backup linebacker for the Browns from 2005 to 2007.

"He was a good teammate," said Jackson. "He wouldn't harm a fly. Outspoken guy. When he was here with the Browns, he developed relationships with big Ted Washington and Willie McGinest. It was a blast. It was fun being in that locker room with Dave. It's just unfortunate. He was a good guy. We hadn't been in touch every day, but we kept in touch enough to where I knew some friends of his who kind of updated me on how he was doing and whatnot. It's just unfortunate. It's sad news. He was too young and too good of a guy."

Jackson, who heard the news from former teammate Andra Davis, said he'll attend the services in Georgia.

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